Spring/Summer NEWSLETTER Oswego County Office for the Aging Organizing...

Please feel free to stop by or call our office and let us know how we can help you.

Address: 70 Bunner Street Oswego, NY 13126

Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Spring is here and for most of us this means organizing. We can help our loved ones become organized by creating a folder or binder to keep important information. It will cause less stress for you as a caregiver when having to attend doctor appointments to have all this information ready and easily accessible. In this binder or folder you should keep the following:  Your loved one’s full name and birth date

Phone number: 1-315-349-3484 or 1-800-596-3200, ext. 3484.

 Health issues or diagnoses

Aging Services Administrator:

are taking the medication for

Sara Sunday

Aging Services Specialist: Bobbie Gill Samantha Cleveland

Secretary:

 Current medications, including dosage and what they  Allergies they may have  Any surgeries they have had  Any special precautions for them (ex: hypersensitive on

Kim Briest

one side)

Aging Services Aides:

 Dr.’s name, specialty and addresses

Katrina Froats Richard Proctor Linda Ruddy

Senior Homecare Case Managers: Hope Cimilluca Luanne Crouch Elizabeth Weimer* *also Caregiver Services

Account Clerk: Rita Oldenburg* *Home Delivered Meals and Senior Homecare

Home Delivered Meals Case Managers: Missy Peel Cindy Lewis

 Insurance information  Prescription information  Dental coverage plan  Vision coverage plan  Health Care Proxy  DNR 

Living Will

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Support Groups Alzheimer’s Support Groups 4th Wednesday at 7-8:30 PM Seneca Hill Manor Adult Day Care Room 20 Manor Drive, Oswego Contact Dianne Morrisette @ 349-5341 4th Monday at 7 PM Divine Mercy Church Parish Route 11, Central Square Contact Gail Lauricella @ 676-7533 MS Support Group 1st Wednesday at 2 PM Seneca Hill Manor 1st floor dining room 20 Manor Drive, Oswego Contact Dianne Morrisette @ 349-5341 Hope for the Bereaved Group 2nd Friday at 7 PM Fulton Mill Apartments 265 West 1st Street South, Fulton Contact Myrtle Craw @ 593-6831 Caregiver Support Group 1st Tuesday of each month @ 3-5PM Park United Methodist Church 2 Hubble Street, Pulaski Contact Elizabeth Weimer @ 349-3570

Support for the Grieving Call for date and time Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church 2819 County Route 45, Fulton Contact David Grey @ 598-6738

Mental Illness Education & Family Support (LIGHT) Every other Tuesday 3-4:30 PM Oswego Behavioral Health 74 Bunner Street, Oswego Contact @ 349-5500 Parkinson Support Group 2nd Tuesday of each month @ 5-6:30PM 1st Monday of each month @ 12:30-2:30 PM The Hearth at Greenpoint 150 Old Liverpool Road, Liverpool Contact Cynthia @ 435-2362 X 140 Cancer Support (groups for Caregivers & Patients) 1st and 3rd Monday @ 4 Hematology Oncology Associates of CNY 5008 Brittonfield Pkwy 3rd Floor, East Syracuse Contact @ 472-7504

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Stress with Appointments Spring is upon us and that means it is the time of year for new beginnings and usually annual check ups with our doctors. An annual check-up can be a little stressful for the caregiver and the care receiver. As caregivers we have to find a way to balance scheduling, transporting, translating what the Dr. is asking/ telling our loved one and then follow up from the appointment. Here are some ideas to ease the stress a little. Prior to the Visit: Discuss with your loved one any concerns/changes or questions they have. (Include the same for you... if you have any concerns as well) 

Identify any symptoms you have noticed with your loved ones; are they sleeping more, not eating as much etc.

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Make sure the med list is up to date and include any over the counter supplements that may be taken as well.

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Always call and confirm the appointment prior to going; there is nothing more frustrating than going to an appointment only to find that it has been cancelled and reschedule. 

During the Visit: Make sure you review the medication list with the Dr. to make sure that it is accurate and up to date.

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Make sure you speak up to the Dr. and report any symptoms you may have noticed as our loved ones may not always bring things up.

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Take notes on what the Dr. is discussing.

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Always verify the follow up

After the Visit: Check the medications/prescriptions to make sure that they are ones that were discussed at the appointment and update the medication list. 

Discuss the visit with your loved one to make sure they understood what the Dr. was discussing. 

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Mark your calendar for the next appointment

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And lastly… make any follow up calls for test results that may need to be done.

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Do you really know what those medications are for??? We as caregivers are often responsible for giving our loved ones their medications. This is a big responsibility for us and we want to make sure that we understand what the medications are for. Here are some helpful tips:  Maintain an up to date medication list. Make sure as a new medication is pre-

scribed you add it to your list or if one is discontinued you remove it from your list.  Make sure you write the medication name and dose down. (It can also be help-

ful to describe what the medication looks like)  It is a good idea to give a brief description of what the medication is for and list

any potential side effects.  It is also a good idea to note if the medication is to be taken at a certain time of

day (ex: bed time only or morning only) and if the medication is to be taken with food or without.  It might also be a good idea to write down on your list of medications any medi-

cations that you have taken previously and have had a difficult time with but not necessarily an allergic reaction (ex: difficult swallowing the pill or upset stomach)  By each medication you list ,it’s helpful to note the start date to keep track of

when refills are needed. 

Also list on your medication list any supplements that are being taken and why they are being taken. (Please make sure to check with the Dr. to see of potential interactions with prescribed medications)

When a prescription is discontinued here are some helpful hints. 1.Peel the label off of the bottle as to remove any identification of person, address or medication 2. Crush or dilute medication 3. Put medication in plastic bag 4. Add kitty litter, sawdust or coffee grounds to plastic bag 5. Seal plastic bag and place in trash

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Stress, we all have it. Care giving can be very stressful and we all have those times when we just need a little break. Here are some suggestions for “little breaks” throughout our busy days. Read or look at something funny- Laughter has been shown to trigger the relaxation response, lower your heart rate and blood pressure as well as even boost your immune system!

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Crank the Volume-music can be a quick pick-me-up. Playing music with a strong beat has an energizing effect and orchestral or acoustic tunes can improve your thinking and focus.

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Take a power nap- ten minutes of shut-eye might not sound like much, but it can be enough to feel restorative, especially if you haven’t had a good night’s sleep the night before. Studies also have shown that a nap no longer than 30-60 minutes can have an even more restorative effect but it’s harder to wake from… so make sure you set that timer or alarm clock!

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Pump a little iron- lifting weights, even light weights can give you an extra boost of energy, so grab some cans of soup or milk jugs and do some lifting. 

Write it down-write down those emotions you are feeling: frustration, anger, etc. and then after you have written down your thoughts, crumple up or tear up the paper and throw it away. This gives you the feeling of ridding yourself of those negative thoughts and emotions.

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Caregiver Checklist Having up-to-date medical information for your care receiver helps you to manage health care and medication—and it is crucial to have in case of an emergency. Use this checklist to make sure you have all of the pertinent information about the care receiver available in one place. Date of birth: ____________________________ Primary Care Doctor: ______________________________ (Phone #) ____________________________ Specialists (doctor’s name and phone #’s) _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Medications (including over the counter meds and supplements) Name of Medication:

Dose:

Time of day taken:

____________________________

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Medical Insurance (Insurance company name, phone and policy number) _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Medical History: Past illnesses/surgeries: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Family History: (Illnesses/causes of death for mother, father, siblings) _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Emergency Contacts: Name/relation:

Phone Number:

______________________________________

__________________________

_______________________________________

__________________________

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Updates 

Clocks Ahead– Don’t forget to set the clocks ahead on March 8th.

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Do you worry about yourself or a loved one falling? Oswego County now has a Falls Prevention Coalition. “Step up to Stop Falls”. Classes are being held in several locations around the county. For more information, please call 5920827. Remember, many falls are preventable. These steps can reduce your risk of falls. Step 1: Check your risk of falls Step 2: Know your medicines Step 3. Make your home safer Step 4: Exercise Daily

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EmPower NYSERDA will once again implement the EmPower No Heat Initiative (ENHI) effective January 12, 2015. EM Power may provide heating system repairs and replacements for eligible households in no-heat situations. These services will be provided through EMPower until funding is expended, but no later than May 1, 2015. Contact the Office for the Aging at 349-3484 for more information on this valuable program.

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Language Interpretive Services are available at the Office for the Aging. If you have questions on aging issues, and English is not your primary language, the Office for the Aging can help with interpretation services! Contact the OFA today!

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Funding Provided in part by, The NYS Office for the Aging, The US Administration on Aging and Oswego County

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